Welcome to The Penny-Pinching Cinephile, a weekly spotlight of the best free flicks on the web. ‘Cuz sometimes you gotta eat.
1. Alamar (Pedro Gonzalez-Rubio, 2009)
This gentle gem is one of my absolute favorite films of the last several years. Set amidst the coral reefs off the coast of the Yucatan in Mexico, Alamar is part nature documentary, part travelogue and part coming of age drama. The film concerns five-year old Natan, who is traveling from Rome, where he lives with his Italian mother, to visit his Mayan father, who works as a fisherman in the remote Mexican jungle. Natan and his father Jorge spend several weeks together, fishing, diving and bonding amidst the crystal clear waters and breathtaking scenery. Alamar blurs the line between documentary and fiction (Natan and Jorge are really father and son and all the action was filmed on location). Ultimately, Alamar stands as a testament to the unceasingly beautiful possibilities of cinema: that a film can take you on a magical journey; that a film might aspire to poetry; that simplicity may indeed triumph in an era of blockbuster entertainments. Alamar is a film that transcends labels.
2. The Endless Summer (Bruce Brown, 1966)
The Endless Summer is probably one of the most purely enjoyable documentaries ever filmed, a globe-trotting travelogue via surfboard.
3. The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (John Cassavetes, 1976)
4. The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (Luis Bunuel, 1972)
Bunuel’s matryoshka of a film is a dizzying puzzle with no answer and hardly any clues. Composed of dreams-within-dreams (and dreams within those dreams), ghosts, terrorism, gardening priests and cocaine-smuggling diplomats, The Discreet Charm is a satire as wolfishly sly as its title suggests. The multiple narratives, central cast of characters and impenetrability suggest Inception without the snowmobiles. Loosely, the film centers around a group of upper-class friends trying to get together for a meal; each time they are interrupted (once by an entire army marching into their living room, another time by a funeral being held in the dining room). Three women go to a restaurant and order tea. The waiter returns moments later and tells them they’re out of tea. The women order coffee. The waiter returns after a longer period–sorry, no coffee either. Do they have water? Of course, madam. But the women leave before the waiter can return. Such absurdity makes for a delightful if, at times, confounding film.`
6. The Lodger (Alfred Hitchcock, 1927)
Hitchcock’s first masterpiece boasts impressive Expressionist photography amid the eerie backdrop of foggy London. Loosely based on the Jack the Ripper murders, the titular lodger (silent film star Ivor Novello) is suspected of slaying several beautiful blondes. Barely five years into his six-decade career as a filmmaker, Hitchcock displays an affinity for comely, tow-headed victims and the paranoia and mystery the “The Wrong Man” narrative. With its creative use of sound gags and title cards (Hitchcock got his start designing titles), The Lodger stands as an exemplary film of the late silent era and required viewing for fans of Alfred Hitchcock.
Watch at Archive.org
2 thoughts on “The Penny-Pinching Cinephile (1/16/13–1/22/13)”
Some great picks. I didn’t love ALAMAR, but it’s a solid film. Also love THE LODGER and DISCREET CHARM.
I might check out THE ENDLESS SUMMER. One of those docs I’ve wanted to see for a while.
I believe ‘M’ was supposed to be included in this post. Maybe next week.
I’m fascinated by the Bunuel movie.